Apple Store 5th Ave

North Conservatory Garden @ Central Park

The crisp, inchoate autumn draft rustles the leaf. It wavers on its perch on the old oak tree that has been rooted to the same spot for too long. The leaf yearns to see the world, to go beyond the branch it has learned to call home during the warm summer days. As if on cue, a sudden powerful gust of wind tugs on the leaf so it dangles haphazardly from the bough. “Please, please, please,” whispers the leaf to the breeze. Another tug, and it severs the splinter that fastens the oak to the ginger foliage! The leaf soars and wheels in the wind, ascending higher into the air! It spots its reflection in the ripples of the water, and dips low enough to skim the surface. The breeze picks up and it nearly cries with jubilation as it floats across the diagonal alternating pattern: light, dark, light, and dark…The leaf neatly skirts above the head of a tourist drinking in the scene with his camera almost as greedily as the leaf! He crosses the black iron gates that shield his home from everything else like those tall marble and iron giants that reflect the sunshine. The draft is dying down, but the leaf doesn’t mind because he’s now seen so much more to the city, his city.

The spirit of mélange stops by to eavesdrop and learn the feelings of common people towards her. She is gladly welcomed by the beautiful colors of the fall. She takes a drink at the fountain. It tastes sweeter than the fountain in her Elysian lawns. She discovers the reason is the love for her by the common people sitting around her. Though they cannot see or feel her, they recognize her presence. They happily accept fascinating mixture of ethnicities. Hence she walks out of the arch victoriously, reaches the top of the tower and eventually dissipates into her adobe spreading her magical fragrance all over again.

Penetrating the sky with a sudden force, the giants slowly rise from the ground. Destroying everything in their path, the giants perplex all the creatures in their vicinity. Everyone is forced to take notice, while trembling with fear and admiration. Everything comes to a stand still, the cars, the people, the air, and even mother nature. The rays from the sun embellish the giants by giving them an unnatural beauty. Seeing these 5 giants stand without fear, other giants slowly come out of their caves. Slowly but steadily, the giants show that they are a force to be reckoned with.

The giants emerge from behind the trees unexpectedly. They stand with strength, hiding the sun from those who dwell in the trees. The tree’s quickly try to cover those who dwell before they are exposed to this intruder, but fail as the tree line is no match for these massive beings. Mother Nature quickly finds herself surrounded. She is no longer at her prime. The giants though leave Mother Nature without a blemish. They stand tall, influencing the horizon but leave the trees untouched. Over time they blend in as one. They become part of the landscape, part of the experience, and part of the emotion.

As I advanced down West 32^nd St. leaving Penn Station behind me, I entered another cultural niche in the vast city of New York. The murmur from the pedestrians became foreign. The illustrious signs and the extravagant menus surrounding me became incomprehensible. “Bibimbap – $9.99.” “Bulgogi – $ 12.99.” Although I did not know what the words in bright red, green and yellow meant, I knew that I was about to try something new today. This excitement of experiencing the exotic rejuvenated my senses. I felt like a novice in the very city, which I spent several years exploring.  As I advanced down West 32^nd St. leaving Penn Station behind me, I was wondering if some other New Yorker like myself was ready to experience a Bibimbap or a Bulgogi for the first time in their life today.

Lights change and move. Red, yellow, traffic light, and headlights show their dominance as the Sun goes to sleep. Intersection after intersection, blocks after blocks, people and cars come and go. And yet, neither footsteps nor car engines knock my ears. Wild trees and grass enter my lungs. And yet, I see no forest. Instead, I see a city.

Around goes the creature, aimlessly searching the park for somewhere to dwell. The park offered much comfort and serenity, but the creature was not satisfied. As the creature awaited his fate as the day went on, he saw something through the brush. A tall mass of construction picked at his brain, as if it were his castle. The sky darkened, and the wind whipped through the brisk air. The creature scurried through the park, up into the building before nightfall. He would never know what would become of the building, yet he commanded it as if it were his own. Pride and dignity sunk into the mind of the creature, making him stronger by night.

Individual, Identical, Innumerable, for here they are. Repetition is repeating itself; repetition is reoccurring. Light is flowing down and enters its dwelling place. Air moves through to and fro, carrying away sweat and shivers. Sight shoots both ways, out to repetition and into the mind. Perception pays attention to periodicity. The construct of The Architect’s mind, a community with distinction. One building stands in communion with the others. Down below repetition happens again, the branches and leaves follow suit. Individual. Identical. Innumerable.

Tension builds as daylight’s momentum slows to a beautiful speed.  The sun sends out pulses in colors: purple, orange, pink, blue, red, and gold.  The pulses pass over the ocean, sand, forest, homes, and roadways.  They pass through people and leave them breathless.  The pulses then settle and dissolve the tension.  The colors release a collective sigh and seep into the earth.  The world glows with heavenly light.  Every object seems significant with this magnificent illumination.  There is nothing to be said as the sun makes this Grand Exit.  Just let the delicate scenery relax your mind, but leave goosebumps on your skin, as the sun says farewell.